As both a mother of two and an American Red Cross babysitter’s training course instructor, I understand the anxiety of leaving my kids in another’s care, yet also know how incredibly capable teen babysitters can be when properly trained. I love to teach our babysitting course and even enrolled my own daughter into the course when she was old enough to babysit. She went on to become a great babysitter, and two of her charges even attending her wedding years later last October, showing just how powerful the bond can be between children and a great babysitter can be.

So what do we do in our babysitting class? Here’s a typical day in the life:

8:30 a.m.

It’s the morning of a Red Cross babysitting class, one of my favorite days, since I get to instruct a new set of teens. I set up the room and place out all the essentials: the “babies” (i.e. our mannequins), bottles, diapers and other items for the afternoon’s hands-on sessions.

9 a.m.

Here in Huntsville, Ala., where I’m based, we offer courses during school holidays, and my sleepy, even grumpy students to start rolling in. I know they don’t know what to expect, and I’m hoping to surprise and excite them today.

9:15 a.m.

Just like my daughter did years ago, the students make nametags for themselves and the “baby” they will be learning to take care of today. They start to loosen up as I lead them in an icebreaker before we jump right into the material.

10 a.m.

Rather than lecture them, I lead a discussion where everyone chimes in on the topics of leadership, the business of babysitting (since many parents look to adults rather than teens for childcare), appropriate activities and toys for different age groups and safety. Teenagers have definite opinions and love to express them and I’m always surprised by the creative ideas they share, many of which I hadn’t thought of before!

1:30 p.m.

After lunch, it’s “hands-on” practice time. We pick up the “babies” and learn to feed and diaper them. Many of the students are surprised to find there is more to these activities than they thought and intently practice getting them just right.

2:30 p.m.

Next the students take turns pretending to be unconscious, choking and bleeding while the other trainees “rescue” them in our first aid session. They learn when to call 9-1-1, how to use a breathing barrier and how to recognize an emergency situation. The teens have moved from being sleepy and grumpy to working comfortably side by side and having fun.

4 p.m.

Our class is winding down and I hand out certificates to each student as part of our “graduation ceremony.” The students go home with their bandaged arms and shiny new credentials and I’m exhausted! I hope they feel getting up early today was worth it. I know the families they babysit for will think so.

If you’d like to learn more about our babysitting course or how to register, please visit redcross.org/babysitting.

There has been a lot of talk around here about zombies. This got me to thinking about zombies and the Red Cross. Obviously, we’re complimentary groups of people: The Red Cross is well-known because we help people prepare for and respond to emergencies, and, well, a zombie apocalypse is something to be prepared for.

This led me to the interwebs to do some research on this possible Red Cross/zombie relationship, and I found a lot of evidence that led me to believe that there is such a strong connection between us because zombies might actually LOVE the Red Cross. I know zombies are the walking dead, void of all emotions and dead set (pun intended) on consuming brains, but I think there’s some sort of soft spot in their dead hearts for the Red Cross.

Here is my evidence:

Run for Your Lives

This zombie infested run that has the goal of “destryoing” its participants may not seem like the most Red Cross-loving event one could stumble upon; however, the Red Cross is the charitable partner for this race. So technically, the zombies are chasing down runners to support our mission – and I think that’s sweet. I asked the co-race director, Derrick Smith, why he thought this was a good partnership. His response was, “When people think of a true zombie apocalypse scenario there tends to be a lot of bloodshed and general chaos, which is why the Red Cross was a natural fit to partner with. The Red Cross is the top organization out there for taking care of people in emergency situations, so we were more than happy to donate a portion of every ticket sale to their cause.” Photo courtesy of Happy Go Lucky Photography

Night of the Living Donors – Zombie Blood Drive

In Portland, the Zombie Squad took it upon themselves to partner with the local Red Cross to host a blood drive to help them be prepared in case of a zombie invasion. The Zombie Squad has been a great Red Cross partner over the years by helping us spread important disaster preparedness messages (I particularly like their Bug Out Bag) – in fact, their mission is similar to ours: “Zombie Squad’s mission is to educate the public about the importance of personal preparedness and community service, to increase its readiness to respond to disasters such as earthquakes, floods or zombie outbreaks.” Neat-o!

I asked Nate Warren, who helped coordinate the blood drive, why he thought zombies loved the Red Cross so much. His response was, “I think zombies love the Red Cross because, for one, they have an insatiable hunger and we can provide tastier alternatives to the boring and redundant diet of brains. Whether we’re dishing out cookies at blood drives or cooking up meals at disaster sites, it’s nearly impossible to find the Red Cross representing without “noms” nearby. Also, while most scream at the sight of the undead, the Red Cross prides itself on impartiality, and serves as a neutral force in conflicts as guardians of the Geneva Conventions and other treaties surrounding international humanitarian law. Finally, let’s get real: zombies smell and probably don’t know it. It’s time to bring the Red Cross humanitarian mission to the formerly living and reach out with comfort, understanding and rubber gloves.”

Hmmm, good point, Nate.

World Zombie Day
Lastly, I sought out another Red Cross connection – this time in the super prepared state of Colorado. Last year, the chapter published this extensive article on zombie preparedness in honor of World Zombie Day – however, I found that Colorado was far more concerned with helping people prepare for the zombie invasion rather than trying to embrace our undead friends. Patricia Billinger noted, “I think zombies fear the Red Cross because we build the type of neighborhoods that know how to band together, get out and fight back!”

So maybe the relationship between the Red Cross and zombies truly is a complimentary one. Zombies are giving us something to prepare for, and we’re giving our communities the tools and opportunities to be prepared. However, in my mind, if zombies truly didn’t care about YOU or the Red Cross, they wouldn’t be trying to gnaw brains during a race, or showing up to blood drives.

Deep down inside, I believe the zombies want you to be prepared so the unprepared are easier to pick off when the zombie apocalypse happens.

Our Facebook fans came up with most of these “disasters”.

Okay, so we know that a Facebook poll is not really what you use for reliable results, but I was so glad that we had asked the question. Why? Because I realized that I really haven’t the faintest idea how I would prepare for a zombie apocalypse.

Fearing for my future survivor-turned-zombie-dinner self, I turned to Pinterest to get some inspiration for doomsday prepping.

Little did I know that there was actually a wealth of information and ideas waiting for me on Pinterest boards! In fact, prepping for the zombie apocalypse looks extremely similar to prepping for natural disasters that happen every single year. After browsing for a while, I had to share some of my favorites here on our blog. Click on the images to see the pins and learn more:

1. Emergency kits
These are popular items on Pinterest – and for good reason! The easiest step to take in your preparedness journey.

For more interesting emergency kit ideas, check out what other Pinterest users have pinned.

2. Providing for your basic needs
Water and food are super important – there are lots of tricks out there for people willing to learn how to survive with very little!

3. That stuff you might not think to prepare
There are so many creative ideas on these boards! Lots of little things outside of the necessities that you may not think about.

Want to be sure you’re prepared to take care of your furry loved one? Follow the below tips.

PET FIRST AID
Courses are available at many Red Cross chapters on how to care for your pet. The Red Cross has also developed Dog First Aid and Cat First Aid Guides with DVDs that teach basic responsibilities like spaying/neutering and giving medications, to performing CPR and preparing for disasters. Visit Redcross.org/training or call 1-800 RED CROSS to see when classes are available. The Guides are available through the Red Cross Store.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR PET HEALTHY
Pet owners can follow these important steps to help keep their pet healthy:

• Give pets plenty of exercise.
• Make sure they have plenty of fresh, cool water.
• Make sure they get regular yearly checkups with their veterinarian, and are up to date on vaccines, especially rabies.
• Get pets spayed or neutered.
• Keep dogs on leashes outside – another animal may be too much temptation
• Know how to perform CPR and provide basic first aid until veterinary care is available

EMERGENCIES AND YOUR PET
Don’t forget to include pets in planning for emergencies in your home or neighborhood:

• Make plans to take your pets with you if you have to evacuate.
• Most Red Cross shelters cannot accept pets because of health and safety concerns and other considerations. Know which friends, relatives, hotels, boarding facilities will accept pets in an emergency.
• Assemble an easy-to-carry kit with emergency supplies for pets:
• Leashes, harnesses and/or carriers
• Food, drinking water, bowls, manual can opener
• Medications and copies of medical records
• Current photos of the pets

Pet First Aid Awareness Month is a great time for people to learn how to protect their pet and keep them healthy. More information on how to keep pets in good health are located on the Red Cross Pets and Disaster Safety Checklist.

Now, two weeks later, it feels like summer where I live in Texas. One of our three city pools opened last weekend, and we spent Sunday afternoon reacquainting ourselves with the back float and the breaststroke. We’ve already gone through two full bottles of sunscreen, and all of our sweatshirts and jeans have been boxed up and stored under the beds.

Summer may still be two months away, at least according to the calendar, but it’s time to start talking about how to prevent and respond to heat-related emergencies.

Heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke are all conditions caused by over-exposure to heat. Heat cramps are the least severe of the three conditions, but if left untreated heat cramps can lead to heat exhaustion and eventually heat stroke.

First, here’s what you can and should do to prevent all three of these heat-related conditions:
- Avoid being outside during the hottest part of the day (usually between 11am and 4pm).
- Drink extra fluids before, during, and after activity. Stick with water and sports drinks and avoid alcoholic, caffeinated, sugary, and extremely cold beverages.
- Dress appropriately for the temperature in lightweight, light-colored, well-ventilated, and loose-fitting clothing, a hat, sunglasses, and broad-spectrum sunscreen.
- Take frequent breaks in shady or air-conditioned areas.
- Change your activity level according to the temperature.

And second, here are the signals of and treatments for heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke:

Heat Cramps
Signals
- Muscle spasms, most often in the legs

Treatment
- Move the person to a cooler place and have them rest in a comfortable position.
- Lightly stretch and gently massage the affected muscle.
- Replenish fluids – one glass of cool water every 15 minutes.

Heat Exhaustion
Signals
- Cool, moist, pale or flushed skin
- Excessive sweating
- Headache
- Nausea, dizziness, and exhaustion

Treatment
- Move the person to a cooler place and have them rest in a comfortable position.
- Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths.
- If the person is conscious, replenish fluids – one glass of cool water every 15 minutes.
- Observe the person carefully, watching for changes in his/her condition.

Heat Stroke
Signals
- Hot, red skin (can be dry or moist)
- Rapid, weak pulse
- Rapid, shallow breathing
- Vomiting
- Changes in consciousness

Treatment
- Heat stroke is life threatening. If you suspect someone is suffering from heat stroke, call 911 or the local emergency number immediately.
- Move the person to a cooler place and have them rest in a comfortable position on his/her side.
- Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths.
- If the person is conscious, give small amounts of cool water to drink.
- Continue to cool the person by using ice or cold packs on the wrists, ankles, groin, and neck and in the armpits.
- Observe the person carefully, watching for changes in his/her condition and regularly checking breathing and circulation.

Summer is a wonderful time of year, especially if we play it safe!

Recent reports are all indicating that the answer is yes, tornado alley is longer just a narrow strip in the plains states, but has grown into a “tornado plain” that is regularly affecting more states than ever before. Last year was one of the most active tornado seasons on record, and we can vouch for that firsthand! The Red Cross responded to tornadoes all over the country; we were in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, and even as far north as Massachusetts (and this is just a short list).

The Weather Channel is predicting TOR-CON (Tornado Conditions) levels to be anywhere from 4-8: meaning, they believe there is a 40-80% chance of tornadoes touching down in these areas:

So today as we have been watching the weather, we want to makes sure that you, your friends, family, neighbors, or anyone you know, is prepared for what is being predicted this weekend. If you live in these areas, please take some time today to review your tornado safety plan with your family.

Before the storm, gather the following:
Here are our Tornado Preparedness Facts
Here is how to be “Tech Ready”
Here is our iPhone Shelter App

During a Storm (from our friends at NOAA)
A tornado watch means that tornado development is possible. Keep a watchful eye on the sky for threatening weather and stay tuned to radio and television and listen for weather bulletins.

A tornado warning means that a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar. Persons in the path of the storm should seek shelter immediately, preferably in a storm cellar, underground excavation, or in a steel-framed or concrete reinforced building.

In homes, the basement offers the greatest safety. Seek shelter under sturdy furniture, if possible. In homes without basements , take cover in the center part of the house, on the lowest floor, in a small room such as a closet or bathroom, or under sturdy furniture. Stay away from windows.

In schools, hospitals, and shopping centers, move to pre-designated shelter areas. Interior hallways on lowest floors are best. If the building is not of reinforced construction, go to a nearby one that is, or take cover outside on low, protected ground. Stay out of auditoriums, gymnasiums, and other structures with wide free-span roofs.

In open country, move away from the tornado/s path at right angles. If there is not time to escape, lie flat in the nearest ditch or ravine.

In your car, do not try to outrun a tornado. If available, take shelter in a sturdy structure. Otherwise, get in the nearest ditch or depression until the tornado passes.

Mobile homes are particularly vulnerable to overturning during strong winds and should be evacuated when strong winds or tornadoes are forecast. Damage can be minimized by securing trailers with cables anchored in concrete footing. Trailer parks should have community storm shelters. If there is no shelter nearby, leave the trailer park and take cover on low-protected ground.

After the storm:
Try to connect with your family members to make sure everyone is accounted for (remember, sometimes texting after a storm is better than trying to call)
Register yourself on our Safe and Well site
Do not try to go into damaged areas. Use a radio to listen for updated information and instructions

Speaking of…

What started as an interest in the Titanic grew to an obsession when, as a freshman in college, I may or may not have seen James Cameron’s blockbuster movie 10 times in the theaters.

As I watched this movie over and over again, the lines between reality and fiction began to blur. My equally-obsessed friends and I spent far too many late nights lamenting over Jack’s death at the hands of the sea and pondering what he could have done differently in order to have survived and gone on to live a full and happy life with his beloved Rose. We really should have been studying.

Eventually my interest in Titanic (the movie) diminished and the laminated poster of Leonardo DiCaprio came down off my wall. I forgot all about the scene in the movie when, after the ship sinks and Jack and Rose are struggling in the water, Jack insists Rose lie on the floating wooden door while he clutches her hands and his body dangles in the cold, dark ocean. Until I took my next Red Cross First Aid Basics class, that is.

Don’t get me wrong – I didn’t need a first aid class instructor to tell me that Jack, Rose, and the other passengers on the Titanic suffered from hypothermia. What I hadn’t been able to figure out (or Google, since we weren’t yet Googling back then), was why the cold led to Jack’s death and not Rose’s.

Did you know that heat is lost more quickly in water than on land? Water temperatures that would be quite tolerable as air temperatures can quickly lead to hypothermia. A water temperature of a seemingly warm 79 degrees (F) can lead to death after prolonged exposure, a water temperature of 50 degrees can lead to death in around an hour, and a water temperature of 32 degrees – like the ocean water on the night the Titanic sank – can lead to death in as few as 15 minutes. Scary stuff.

Most of the time (though not in Jack and Rose’s situation), hypothermia – when the body’s core temperature drops below the temperature required for normal metabolism and body function – sneaks up on its victims. Whether in the water or not, what starts out as just a chill can escalate from mild to moderate to severe hypothermia in a short period of time if the person remains in the cold or even cool environment.

We don’t necessarily think of spring and summer as times of the year when hypothermia is an issue; we tend to worry instead about heat exhaustion and heat stroke. But right now, warm temperatures during the day draw people outside without extra layers of clothing, and then suddenly cool or even cold temperatures at night can lead to serious problems for those who aren’t prepared.

So in the name of spring weather preparedness, here are a few tips to keep yourself and your family safe from hypothermia this season and throughout the year.

Prevent hypothermia:
- In cold temperatures, wear warm, multi-layered clothing as well as hand, feet and head protection. In ALL temperatures, bring extra layers so that should the weather or your environment change unexpectedly you can keep warm and dry.
- Change into dry clothes whenever becoming wet.
- Find appropriate shelter when temperatures drop.
- Drink lots of water to improve circulation.

Signals of hypothermia:
- Shivering, numbness, glassy stare
- Apathy, weakness, impaired judgment
- Loss of consciousness

What to do for hypothermia:
- Call 911 or your local emergency number.
- Move the person to a warm place.
- Monitor breathing and circulation, and give rescue breathing or perform CPR if needed.
- Remove any wet clothing and dry the person.
- Warm the person slowly by wrapping them in blankets or putting them in dry clothing. Warm the core – NOT the extremities – first.
- DO NOT warm the person too quickly.

Very few of of us will find ourselves victims of a shipwreck, dangling off the edge of a wooden door in the middle of the freezing ocean. Thank goodness. But many of us will encounter weather or environments that can and will lead to hypothermia if appropriate actions aren’t taken. Be prepared!

Video via Slate News. Hat tip to Patrice Cloutier for sending us to Todd Jasper’s blog to find this info.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

We caught this piece on the Today Show this morning and had to share:

When yesterday’s tornadoes wreaked havoc throughout the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, Lisa Rebstock was prepared. After hearing the warnings, she had only three minutes to collect her two young girls and race to the bathroom as the tornado furiously swept toward her home in Arlington, Texas.

“It was the most terrifying thing I have ever been through. I grabbed onto both kids so hard. I had no idea what was going on. When it hit our house, I heard a loud thud, a crash and all of a sudden wind was coming through our house.”

Just a week earlier, Lisa had packed a preparedness kit with baby bottles, diapers, snacks, flash lights, and everything her family would need to survive a day. The extra step she took to have this kit ready made a world of difference for the family yesterday.

We salute Lisa for being Red Cross Ready, and we’re so glad that the Rebstock family, along with many other families in the Dallas Fort Worth area, are okay!

You can take the same steps to protect yourself and your family today:

1. Get a kit
2. Make a plan
3. Be informed

However, we decided to dig a little deeper into the topic. We want you to improve yourself to be ready for EVERYTHING and ANYTHING at ANY TIME. We have told you time and time again to be ready for a disaster – any disaster – but you may have glossed over these. So for those of you who love self help as much as you want to love yourself, here is a list of books that we think will have some great disaster preparedness appeal, as well as some self-help appeal.

The COMPLETE Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook

This little beauty has it all: we especially appreciate the chapters “How to Save Your Cat From Choking,” “How to Survive a Flu Pandemic,” and “How to Deal With Wedding-Related Injuries” – all are topics that we teach in Red Cross courses. And you thought Red Cross preparedness tips were boring!

The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection From the Living Dead

This wouldn’t be a true “off beat preparedness guide” without including something on zombies. Zombies seem to embody all that is preparedness – they tend to be the top of the bar when you ask “are you prepared for anything?”

This book is especially great because it covers what to do after a disaster: specifically, having a pre-determined meeting spot and plan to get there. Additionally, we like that it covers practicing your escape routes as well as equipment and supply preparedness.

Sound at all familiar to you?

And our last book recommendation seems strange, but we promise it has a great message…

How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack: Defend Yourself When the Lawn Warriors Strike (And They Will)

Yup, bet you didn’t see that one coming! Gnomes may appear harmless on your lawn, but this book begs to differ. While interesting on many levels, we appreciate that it encourages you to check your home inside an out – which is what the Red Cross encourages you to do before an emergency to mitigate potential hazards, and after an emergency to shut off power and gas.

Deep down inside, we’re all looking to make ourselves better, and with these books, you too can become Red Cross Ready in the most meaningful way possible.

For more Red Cross preparedness resources, you can go to our website: we have an entire section dedicated to being prepared for the different scenarios you may encounter in your neighborhood.